Islamic State militants have executed 20 men at the ancient Roman Theater in the historic Syrian city of Palmyra, a group monitoring the conflict said Wednesday.

The men were shot after accusations of collaborating with the Syrian government, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

In neighboring Iraq, suicide bombings killed at least 17 Iraqi soldiers in Anbar province overnight, as pro-government forces in Iraq continue their newly launched campaign to disrupt the Islamic State group in the area.

Also in Syria, Kurdish YPG forces have taken control of the strategic town of al-Mabrouka and surrounding areas in Syria's northern Hasakah province, after violent clashes with IS militants.